Parking electric windshield cleaner



B. A. BEAN, JR

PARKING ELECTRIC WINDSHIELD CLEANER Filed March 7, 1929' Aug. 27, 1935." I

IIIIIIII- Patented Aug. 27, 1935 Barton A. Bean, Jr., Williamsville, N. Y., assignor to Trico Products Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application March 7, 1929, Serial No. 345,147

14 Claims.

This invention relates to the parking of windshield cleaner wiper blades out of the field of vision, the same being an improvement on Patent No. 1,674,056 granted to John R. Oishei and Henry Hueber on June 19, 1928, wherein is disclosed a windshield cleaner having means for shunting or directing the power to the cleaner motor in such a manner as to urge the wiper b ade out of the field of vision, or to one side thereof, when the main source of power is disconnected from the windshield cleaner motor.

The present invention applies the broad inventive concept of the above noted patent specifically to the electric windshield cleaner.

The arrest of the wiper blade of an electric windshield cleaner in a definite position has been 1 a problem to the user of the electric windshield cleaner and has long challenged invention. When'the electric current is shut off from the electric windshield cleaner, there is usually a sufficient amount of momentum to carry the wiper blade on for a considerable distance, this distance varying in the presence of certain factors such an electric windshield cleaner in which the wiper blade is definitely and automatically parked out. of the line of vision when the motor circuit is broken.

The invention further has for its objects to provide an electric windshield cleaner with a special parking motor; to provide an electric cleaner adapted to be parked by fluid pressure; to provide means for uncoupling the wiper from the electric cleaner to permit of such parking; and to provide against creeping movement of the wiper from a parked position to a position across the line of vision.

In the drawing, & Fig. 1 is an elevation of an electric windshield cleaner embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view depicting a combined operating and parking control for the cleaner.

Fig. 3 is a, sectional View through the wiper clutch assembly.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the parking motor. Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the numeral l designates the electric windshield cleaner power unit consisting, broadly,

of'an electric motor 2, reduction gearing 3 and a transmission link 4, the latter connecting the gearing'to the wiper carrying arm 5 and imparting an oscillatory movement thereto and to the wiper blade 6 whereby the latter is caused to travel an arcuate path, indicated by the broken lines I. The source of electrical energy 8 for the windshield cleaner motor is electrically connected thereto by circuit wires 9, and the circuit is opened and closed by a circuit breaker, for example, as by a contact part In establishing electrical connection with the contacts I l.

The wiper carrying arm 5 is mounted on a shaft l2 which shaft is connected to a piston l3 operating in a chamber l4 so that as the wiper blade oscillates over the windshield glass the piston 13 will also reciprocate within its. chamber 14, the latter being normally open to the atmosphere at opposite sides of the piston to avoid undue resistance from fluid pressure. To this end, there is provided at one side of the piston an atmospheric port l5, while at the opposite side of the piston the chamber is provided with a port l6 which is connected by a conduit I! to an atmospheric port I8, communication with the latter port being established through the combined operating and parking control illustrated in Fig. 2.

This control comprises a valve casing ing the port l8 therein, a port l1 therein connected. to the conduit I1, and an exhaust port 2!) therein which is connected by a conduit 2| to a source of operating pressure, such as the intake manifold of the motor vehicle engine. A valve 22 is operable in the casing l9 to intercept communication between the ports I1 and 20' and to simultaneously connect the port H to the atmospheric port l8, as by the valve passage 23. A suitable knob or handle 24 is provided for shifting the valve to eifect the desired communications between the several ports. To the valve is connected the contact member I 0 so that when both sides of the chamber M are open to the atmosphere, .in whichposition port 20 will be closed and port l1 and I8 connected, the contact In is closing the operating circuit through contacts ll so that the electric motor of the windshield cleaner will be supplied with electric current for operating the wiper." Such a. position of parts will be assumed upon withdrawing the t J handle 24.

When it is desired to arrest the wiper the knob 24 is pushed inwardly so as to open the electric circuit, close the atmospheric port l8 to the chamber I4, and establish communication between the intake manifold of the engine and the IS havchamber M through the port I6. This action will create a suction at one side of the piston l3 so as to urge the latter toward that end of the chamber, and this constanturgingwill tend 'to 6 move the wiper blade 6 toward one end of its path of movement and hold it out of the line of vision. v

If the reduction gearing mechanism is of such a character as toefiectually resist the parking of the cleaner, it is within the purview of this invention to uncouple the wiper from those parts of the mechanism, and to this end there is provided a coupler or clutch which is herein shown as being pneumatically operated and connectedto the suction line H. One embodiment of this coupler is shown in Fig. 3"wherein a suction responsive member or piston 25 is disposed in a chamber 26 from which. the pressure is lowered by reason of its connection2'l with said suction line H. The suction responsive member 25 is connected to a. key part 28 for withdrawing the latter from operative relation to a rotating part 29 to which the link 4 is connected as by a crank pin 30. Consequently, inward movement of the member 25 25,-in response to suction, will withdraw the key part 28- from the member. 29 and uncouple the latter from the power unit of the windshield cleaner whereby the wiper will befree to be parked under the influence of suction acting on ate the windshield cleanerthe vacuous condition in the chamber 26 will be broken to permit of a spring 3! projecting the key part 28 into coupled relation with the member 29, as illustratedin .Fig. 3.

From the foregoing it is operation and parking of the wiper will be obvious, the power supplied to the windshield cleaner motor being interrupted simultaneously with' the application or directing of the parking,

power to the parking mechanism as well as tof the uncoupling'mechanism, when it is again desired to cause the windshield cleaner to function the parking mechanism and coupling mechanism are opened to the atmosphere simultane- 45 ously with the closing of the motor circuit.

the piston l3. When it is desired to again operbelieved that r the j/ Both the parking action and the'uncoupling of thewiper from its electric motor are accom-' plished through fluid-pressure operated instru-- mentalities and, therefore, 'thefdesired elasticity in the operation of the mechanisms is performed v without severe and injurious strains; What is claimed iSI control for said unit and said parking actuator."

1. A windshield cleaner comprising an electric motor, a wiper element operable thereby, means for effecting a. parking of the wiper element, and a combined control for the motor and parking means connected to the motor andparking means for selectively rendering either said motor or said parking meansoperative. V 2. In combination with an electric motor unit anda windshield wiper detachably coupled thereto, meansfor uncoupling the wiper from said motor unit, and a combined control for interrupting the power supplied to the unit'andrem. dering said: means operative to uncouple the wiper from the unit. 3. A windshield cleaner comprising a power unit, a, wiper coupled thereto, wiper parking .mechanism, means for uncoupling the wiper from the power unit, and a combined control for rendering the power unit inoperative, for uncoupling the wiper therefrom and for rendering i 4. A windshield cleaner comprising an electric wiper from said unit, said disconnecting means comprising a coupler part and fluid pressure means for movingthe part to an inoperative position, and fluid pressure means for parking the; wiper when disconnected from the unit, said disconnecting means and said parking means havin a common control.

6. A windshield cleaner comprising an electric power unit, a. wiper connected therewith and operable-thereby, means for disconnecting the wiper from said unit, a parking actuator for parking the windshield wiper when said wiper is disconnected from the unit, and a common con-.

, trol for said disconnecting means and said parking actuator.

" '7. A windshield cleaner comprising an electric power unit, 'a' wiper connected therewith and operable thereby,.means for disconnecting the wiperffronr said unit, said means including a fluid pressure actuator, a' parking actuator-for parking the windshield wiper when said wiper is disconnected from the unit, said parking actuator being fluid-pressure-operated, and comprising a fluid pressure'chamber, a piston therein operatively connected to the wiper, and fluid pressure passages extending. to said chamber and to said means for disconnecting the wiper from said unit. and a common control for said 'unit and said fluid passages.

8. A windshield 'cleaner comprising an electric power unit, awiper operably connected therewith, a parking actuator for parking the windshield wiper, said actuator being fluid-pressure- .operated; and comprising a fluid pressurechamber,-. a piston therein operatively connected to the wiper, and a fluid pressure connection to said chamber, a shaft on which saidwiper arm is connected, said piston being connected to said shaft, and said unit being connected to said shaft, and a combined operative and parking 9. A windshield'cleaner. comprising an electric connected therewith, a fluid pressure actuator connected to the wiper for parking the same and comprising a shaft to which the wiper is connectqd. a piston connected to the shaft, a cham-.

her in which the piston operates, and a combined power unit and parking control for controlling the flow of fluid through the actuator simulcircuit, a power u'nit therein, a wiper. operably moving the wiper to a parked position, means for means is effective.

11. In a windshield cleaner, a wiping element, power operated parking means associated with said element for urging it to a parked position,

5 means operative.

12. In a windshield cleaner, a wiping element, power operated parking means for urging'the wiper to a parked position, a separate power drive for actuating the wiping element in normal wiping action, means for rendering the power drive ineffective to actuate the wiper, and means associating the last mentioned means and the parking means for rendering the parking means effective when the power drive is rendered ineffective. 4

13. In a windshield cleaner, a wiping element. parking means for urging the wiper to a parked position, power drive means operating independently oi the parking means and'coupledto the wiping element for actuating the latter in normal wiping action, means for uncoupling the power drive means from the wiping element, and means associating the uncoupling means and parking means for causing the parking means to become eflective when the power drive means is uncoupled from the wiping element.

14. In a windshield cleaner, a wiping element, power 'operated parking means for urging the wiper to a parked position, a power drive operating independently of said parking means for actuating the wiping element in normal wiping action, and means for 'operatively dissociating the wiper from said power drive, whereby the parking means may act upon the wiping element without acting upon the power drive.

, BARTON A. BEAN, Jn. 

